In the spirit of insanity, Spirit Airlines has just announced an absurd new policy: they are starting to charge customers up to $45 for carry-on bags.
Most of the legacy carriers are now charging to check your bags, another bad business decision. Travel journalist Joe Brancatelli makes an interesting observation. While airline bean counters celebrate the revenue that these charges bring in, they are blind to the fact that this policy is costing them passenger revenue. Passengers are booking away from the legacy carriers. They are choosing passenger-friendly carriers such as Southwest and JetBlue that do not charge to check your bags.
You don't have to take this nonsense. Vote with your wallets! Think it's absurd to pay $45 for your carry on? Then don't fly on Spirit Airlines. If enough of you do this, the company will either (1) accede to market pressure and change this absurd new policy or (2) deservedly go out of business.
But here's the biggest absurdity. Spirit Airlines is advertising some $29 fares (check out Atlanta to Myrtle Beach in August). What does it mean when your carry-on's space in the overhead compartment is worth more than the seats that Spirit provides for their passengers?
P.S. — This is one of my pet peeves — too many passengers aren't smart about voting with their wallets. Remember years ago when American Airlines was advertising "more room in coach" — 34 inches — for pretty much the same price as everyone else. Had we voted with our wallets, we'd have 34 inches of leg room everywhere - but we didn't. So the next time you're scrunched up in a cramped, narrow seat on a transcontinental flight, think about it. Reward airlines who treat us well - and punish the airlines who treat us badly.
$45 for a carry on (search here on Google)
copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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